The Deputy Commander of the General Command, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, welcomed the meeting between the Chief of Staff of the General Command, Lieutenant General Khalid Haftar; the Chief of Staff of the Western Region, Lieutenant General Salah al-Namroush; and members of the “5+5” Joint Military Committee and the “3+3” Military Committee, in the city of Sirte today, Sunday, in the presence of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.

Saddam Haftar wrote on his Facebook page: “We welcome the convening of the national meeting in Sirte, the unifying city of the nation, with the participation of Libyan military leaders, led by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Khaled Haftar, and the Chief of Staff of the Western Region, Lieutenant General Dr. Salah al-Namroush, and the Secretary-General of the General Command, Lieutenant General Khairi al-Tamimi, in the presence of members of the Joint Military Committee (5+5) and the (3+3) Committee, and with the participation of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.”

National Efforts to Unify the Military Institution

Saddam Haftar praised “the positive atmosphere that prevailed during this meeting and the spirit of national responsibility and sincere commitment to prioritizing the higher interests of the nation that it reflected,” noting that “this meeting comes in the context of national efforts aimed at unifying the military and ending the state of division, with the support of international partners.”

He also commended the efforts of the United States, including the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), as well as the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, “in supporting efforts aimed at building a unified and professional Libyan military, thereby enhancing Libya’s security and stability and preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He said that “unifying the military on national and professional grounds is a fundamental goal for protecting the homeland and safeguarding its sovereignty,” pledging to continue “working with all seriousness and responsibility to build strong and effective institutions, protect Libya’s territory and borders, and consolidate national unity, leading to a unified Libyan army capable of fulfilling its duties in defending the homeland and its citizens.”

First Meeting Between Khalid Haftar and Al-Namroush

The meeting between Khalid Haftar, Al-Namroush, and members of the “5+5” and “3+3” military committees in the city of Sirte, in implementation of what was agreed upon by the Chiefs of General Staff in Benghazi and Tripoli during their first meeting in the Angolan capital of Luanda, while participating in the Conference of African Chiefs of Staff, held under the auspices of AFRICOM from June 30 to July 2.

The Sirte meeting also comes in response to a call by the President of the Presidential Council, Mohamed Menfi, who stressed the need to take decisive steps to unify the Libyan military establishment. He made these remarks in his commentary on the meeting between al-Namroush and Khalid Haftar in Luanda, pledging that this would not be the last such meeting between the two sides in the near future.

No official statement has been issued by the General Staff in Tripoli or the General Command’s General Staff in Benghazi regarding the military leadership meeting in Sirte. However, Al-Masar TV, which is close to the General Command, aired a video clip earlier on Sunday showing Khalid Haftar and Al-Namroush in a meeting room in Sirte.